Lucy had timed her next sip of water poorly and spat most of it out onto the table, coughing and spluttering. She barely registered Briony chastising her sister with a sharp hiss of, “Bridget!”

Was she really supposed to answer Bridget’s question? She hadn’t been serious, surely? Lucy chanced a glance at her. Seeing that Bridget was now bright red, Lucy desperately wanted to save her from further humiliation.

“Oh, you were just teasing, right Bridget?” Bridget gawped at her in surprise, eventually catching on and nodding her response. “I mean, I’ve only just met Will. And this isn’t one of those silly holiday movies—you know, boy meets girl, they both want the same Christmas tree, they argue over it, all cross with each other, then fall madly in love.”

“No, instead it’s your best friend’s brother, and you’re super into each other, and you’re hands down the nicest woman he’s ever shown interest in.” Briony was definitely her mother’s daughter. Lucy looked across the table at Jackie, who nodded in agreement.

Lucy was not used to this kind of honesty. In her family, they talked around things. No one ever came right out and said what they were thinking.

“We’ve probably grilled Lucy enough for one evening,” said Steph. Lucy could have kissed her. “Girls, why don’t you finish clearing the table?” Bridget popped right out of her seat as though a reprieve had been granted, but Briony took her time getting up, then joined her sister in gathering various pieces of dinnerware before retreating to the kitchen. “Hey, Jackie, Lucy’s mom sent over that Christmas cake. How about putting on some coffee and cutting some slices?” It was hardly subtle, but Lucy was grateful that Steph was clearing the room on her behalf.

“Oh, sure. It’s wrapped in aluminium foil, right Lucy? On the kitchen counter?”

“That’s right. Thin slices would be good. It’s extremely rich and boozy.”

“No problem.” She and Jackie shared a smile, then Jackie left the table.

When she was out of earshot, Lucy threw Steph a grateful look. “Thank you. That was a little, um … intense.”

“Yeah, tact doesn’t exactly run in their family. How about we go into the living room?”

Lucy and Steph settled on either end of one of the long leather sofas, the sounds from the kitchen becoming back ground noise. “We’ll have a little time before the others join us. You said there was something you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Oh, yes!” Lucy had been so stuck on replaying the awkward conversation about Will that she’d all but forgotten about the matter of her manager, Angela. Mindful of the short time she’d have Steph to herself, she gave the digest version of how Angela seemed to be undermining her at every turn, and how a job that Lucy had enjoyed was becoming more and more demoralising.

“Hmm, and how long has Angela been with the company?”

“Close to eight months now. Although, in some ways it seems far longer.”